Australian cities are desperate for the ‘missing middle’ of housing density. But it’s not as simple as the nimby-yimby debate suggests | Peter Mares

Business Council of Australia wants local governments to be stripped of decision-making powers if they fail to meet “basic timeliness requirements” when processing development applications.

The Victorian government is already heading in this direction. It intends to override council planning to fast-track apartment blocks around transport hubs in established suburbs.

But the matter is more complex than a simple nimby-yimby divide would suggest.

More high-rise towers in the centre and around train stations and more urban sprawl on the fringes, combined with the loss of amenity in established suburbs as existing houses are gradually replaced by piecemeal redevelopment. We need a strategic approach to facilitate well-designed medium rise development at a scale that accommodates more people, creates shared open space and preserves greenery. We need more sophisticated planning, not less..